Period Poverty in the U.S.: Why 1 in 4 People Who Menstruate Can't Afford Period Products

In a study, Adelphi Assistant Professor Binda Godlove Aka explores the economic, policy and tax barriers behind a public health crisis that affects 500 million women worldwide.

For people who menstruate, periods can arrive with all kinds of headaches, literal and logistical. Stockpiling supplies while juggling work, school, family and social obligations takes planning and a surprising amount of money.

Binda Godlove Aka, PhD, assistant professor of political science and international relations, knows this all too well. "I'm a father and a husband, and I have sisters," he said. "I've seen people not just in my family, not just in my community, but around the world, going through the challenge of period poverty."

"Period poverty" refers to the social, economic, political and cultural barriers that prevent people from accessing menstrual products, education and sanitation. Dr. Aka sought to spotlight this long-neglected public health crisis through a large-scale analysis of existing secondary data. As he points out in the published study, "Period poverty in the United States of America: a socio- economic policy analysis" (Journal of Global Health Economics and Policy, May 2025), an estimated 500 million women worldwide are affected by period poverty.

While reviewing journal articles, textbooks, official government documents and other sources, Dr. Aka found that the average menstruator in the United States will spend $140 annually on pads, tampons and over-the- counter (OTC) medication to manage side effects. However, one in four will struggle to meet that cost. "It surprised me that, for as wealthy as this country is, we have a huge number of people dealing with period poverty," he said. "I thought, 'This is something we need to address.'"

Period poverty is driven by more than just a person's income. Dr. Aka's study notes that sociocultural views on sexual and menstrual health education, incomplete school curricula, and inconsistent state sales taxes also perpetuate this condition. "Thirty-three states that have tax exemptions on food do not exempt period products," he said. "Only five states have no tax on those products, and that's because those five states don't even have sales taxes."

At present, only a patchwork of legislation addressing period poverty exists nationwide. Dr. Aka attributes this to political apathy from policymakers, who consistently fail to back the many period product-related bills introduced across levels of government. In Congress alone, four separate bills are currently being considered, and 168 are in various federal, state and local legislative chambers. But Dr. Aka's research revealed that few of these bills have moved forward since being introduced.

In general, he said, policymakers and scholars in the United States have devoted minimal attention to alleviating period poverty. Yet the social and economic impacts can be acute. "Say you have a low-income employee; when that employee's period starts and they can't afford period products, they stay home. The organization suffers, the employee suffers. The job market suffers, because candidates have missed school or even dropped out and can't get the best jobs, because of the embarrassment and stigma from period poverty."

This lack of equitable access has particular consequences for students. In his paper, Dr. Aka articulates a vicious cycle of school absenteeism that can begin due to period poverty. Students miss class because they feel ill or lack the necessary hygiene supplies. Poor grades follow, leading to lower graduation rates and a future of low-level jobs.

In fact, Dr. Aka describes a recent incident in which a student emailed him right before class, letting him know she would be late because her period had started unexpectedly, and she needed to find supplies off campus. "Whenever I think of the importance of this research, I think of that student's experience."

Dr. Aka is currently working on a study of period poverty in universities around New York City with two former Adelphi students (one presently in medical school and the other in law school). While his first article had been confined to secondary-source analysis, this collaboration involves gathering on- the-ground data. The outcome should provide policymakers with a clearer understanding of students' experience with period poverty-and the data they need to treat this condition as a true public health crisis.

Adelphi's Panther Pantry-which offers food, personal care items and household essentials to any Adelphi community member, free of charge-has been stepping up to provide menstrual products in the campus bathrooms. "My students and colleagues tell me we have these products from the food bank now, and that's wonderful," Dr. Aka said. "But we need more support on an institutional level."

Frequently Asked Questions

What is period poverty?

Period poverty is the set of social, economic, political and cultural barriers that keep people from getting menstrual products, menstrual education and sanitation. Dr. Binda Godlove Aka, assistant professor of political science and international relations at Adelphi University, calls it a long-neglected public health crisis. An estimated 500 million women worldwide are affected.

How much do period products cost in the United States?

The average menstruator in the U.S. spends about $140 a year on pads, tampons and over-the-counter medication for side effects. Dr. Aka's 2025 study in the Journal of Global Health Economics and Policy found that one in four people struggle to pay that.

What causes period poverty beyond low income?

Income is only one part of the issue. Cultural views on sexual and menstrual health education, gaps in school curricula and uneven state sales taxes also play a role. Thirty-three states that don't tax food still tax period products. The only five states with no tax on them are those with no sales tax at all.

How does period poverty affect students and workers?

Students who feel ill or don't have supplies may miss class, which could hurt their grades and potentially impact graduation rates and future job opportunities. Workers who can't afford products may stay home, which hurts both the employee and the employer. The stigma also shrinks the pool of qualified job candidates.

What is being done to address period poverty?

Laws on period poverty are still a patchwork. Four bills are being considered in Congress, and 168 more sit in federal, state and local legislatures, but few have moved forward. Dr. Aka is now gathering data on period poverty at New York City universities. On campus, Adelphi's Panther Pantry stocks free menstrual products in campus bathrooms.